A Time of Waiting Unique in World History (II) "The scepter shall not pass from Judah until tribute be brought him" The first of the prophecies foretelling the coming of the Messiah is found in Genesis (Gen 49:1-10) when Jacob, the son of Isaac, blesses his son before his death. "Gather round, so that I can tell you what is in store for you in the final days." And he continues, "The scepter shall not pass from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute be brought him and the peoples render him obedience." This passage which has always had Messianic significance for the exegetes of Israel, took on new significance at the time of the Blessed Virgin, after Herod 1st had been made King of Judea, bringing to an end the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty. From then on, the Jews of Israel would be governed by an Edomite, the son of a Nabatean woman, who came from an Arabian tribe; even though he had converted officially to Judaism, Herod was a friend of the Romans. Judea thus became a vassal province of Rome and remained so until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. When Octavius confirmed Herod 1st as the King of Judea, Samaria, Idumea and Galilee, also offering him the Golan plateau and the cities bordering the Mediterranean which he had been formerly compelled to give to Cleopatra, an earthquake struck Jerusalem and claimed 10,000 victims. With the accession of Herod 1st, authority passed to the Romans and the sign presaging the coming of the Messiah was fulfilled because the scepter had left Judea for good. Thus the Jews could now quite rightly reply to Pilate at Christ's trial, "We have no king except Caesar" (Jn 19:15).
	Source: Jesus Hypotheses by Vittorio Messori, Saint Paul Pubns. (1978)

A Time of Waiting Unique in World History (I) While the Blessed Virgin was on earth, all Israel was awaiting "the One to come" When she was a little child, the Virgin Mary waited, in the midst of her people Israel, for the coming of the Messiah, who had been heralded not just by only one prophet, but by a long succession of men who, as time went by over the centuries, foretold and kept adding to previous prophecies. She waited in the midst of a small nation, tossed by history, which had survived every confrontation with the empires surrounding it and which was to remain the only nation that was able to resist the break-up of the ancient world and to preserve its identity intact. Israel always held on to the unshakeable knowledge that it was destined to be the instrument of divine providence and have a global significance. The time of the Messiah's coming, clearly yet mysteriously heralded by the prophets, was constantly sought. And this period of expectancy and fulfillment had become so clearly defined and precise at this particular moment in history, that more than 100 Messianic candidates had been identified by the historians. "As the people were in expectation" (Lk 3:15) when John the Baptist appeared, they all asked him, "Are you He who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (Lk 7:19). This was an absolutely unique period in history, and, according to many experts, this singular aspect of Christianity is, of itself, sufficient to set it apart in the religious history of the world. Source: Jesus Hypotheses by Vittorio Messori, Saint Paul Pubns. (1978)

                                
DECEMBER 2011

•Thursday, December 1, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 7,21.24-27

•Friday, December 2, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 9,27-31

•Saturday, December 3, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 9,35 - 10,1.5-8

•Sunday, December 4, 2011

Lectio: 2nd Sunday of Advent (B)

•Monday, December 5, 2011

Lectio: Luke 5,17-26

•Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 18,12-14

•Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 11, 28-30

•Thursday, December 8, 2011

Lectio: Immaculate Conception of the B.V.Mary

•Friday, December 9, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 11,16-19

•Saturday, December 10, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 17,10-13

•Sunday, December 11, 2011

Lectio: 3rd Sunday of Advent (B)

•Monday, December 12, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 21,23-27

•Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 21,28-32

•Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Lectio: Luke 7: 19-23

•Thursday, December 15, 2011

Lectio: Luke 7, 24-30

•Friday, December 16, 2011

Lectio: John 5, 33-36

•Saturday, December 17, 2011

Lectio: Matthew 1,1-17

•Sunday, December 18, 2011

Lectio: 4th Sunday of Advent (B)

•Monday, December 19, 2011

Lectio: Luke 1,5-25

•Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Lectio: Luke 1: 26-38

•Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Lectio: Luke 1:39-45

•Thursday, December 22, 2011

Lectio: Luke 1,46-56

•Friday, December 23, 2011

Lectio: Luke 1,57-66

•Saturday, December 24, 2011

Lectio: Luke 1,67-79

•Sunday, December 25, 2011

Lectio: The Birth of Our Lord (B)

•Monday, December 26, 2011

Lectio: St. Stephen, first martyr - Mt. 10:17-22

•Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Lectio: St. John the Apostle

•Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Lectio: The Holy Innocents - Mt 2:13-18

•Thursday, December 29, 2011

Lectio: Luke 2,22-35

•Friday, December 30, 2011

Lectio: Luke 2,36-40

•Saturday, December 31, 2011

Lectio: John 1,1-18

BLESSED ARE YOU BECAUSE YOU BELIEVED
Notice that Elizabeth talks about Mary's blessedness: "Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled" (Lk 1:45).
If being blessed is in conformity with perfect virtue of spirit, then Mary was most blessed, for she was full of virtues and grace. She was so prudent and had such great faith that she became the foundation and pillar of the whole Church.
Through the Son she conceived, she found the truth; through knowledge, she came to dwell in the truth; and by the Son's taking flesh, the truth came to dwell in her. Genesis 28:16 says, "Surely the Lord is in this place." Because God has made this place an unfathomable mystery.
While the truth dwells in the hearts of the faithful, in the Blessed Virgin the truth also dwelled in her womb. So let us give no sleep to our eye, to our eyelids let us give no slumber, until we find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob (cf. PS 131:4-5).

Excerpt from St Albert the Great, In Lucam 1, 45; ed. Borgnet, 22:122

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.
Amen.

NOVEMBER 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Lectio: All Saints - Matthew 5,1-12a
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Lectio: All souls - John 6,37-40
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Lectio: Luke 15,1-10
Friday, November 4, 2011
Lectio: Luke 16,1-8
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Lectio: Luke 16,9-15
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Lectio: 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
Monday, November 7, 2011
Lectio: Luke 17,1-6
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Lectio: Luke 17,7-10
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Lectio: Luke 17,20-25
Friday, November 11, 2011
Lectio: Luke 17,26-37
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Lectio: Luke 18,1-8
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Lectio: 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
Monday, November 14, 2011
Lectio: Luke 18,35-43
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Lectio: Luke 19,1-10
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Lectio: Luke 19,11-28
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Lectio: Luke 19,41-44
Friday, November 18, 2011
Lectio: Luke 19,45-48
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Lectio: Luke 20,27-40
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Lectio: Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (A)
Monday, November 21, 2011
Lectio: Luke 21,1-4
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Lectio: Luke 21,5-11
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Lectio: Luke 21,12-19
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Lectio: Luke 21,20-28
Friday, November 25, 2011
Lectio: Luke 21,29-33
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Lectio: Luke 21,34-36
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Lectio: 1st Sunday of Advent (B)
Monday, November 28, 2011
Lectio: Matthew 8,5-11
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Lectio: St. Andrew, the Apostle

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Rosary of the Virgin Mary
The Rosary of the Virgin Mary, which gradually took form in the second millennium under the guidance of the Spirit of God, is a prayer loved by countless saints and encouraged by the Magisterium. Simple yet profound, it still remains, at the dawn of this third millennium, a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness.

It blends easily into the spiritual journey of the Christian life, which, after two thousand years, has lost none of the freshness of its beginnings and feels drawn by the Spirit of God to “set out into the deep” (duc in altum!) in order once more to proclaim, and even cry out, before the world that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, “the way, and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6), “the goal of human history and the point on which the desires of history and civilization turn.”

John Paul II :
Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, #1 (October 2002)

**********
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.
Amen.

October 2011
1 Lectio: Luke 10,17-24
 2 Lectio: 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time
3 Lectio: Luke 10,25-37
4 Lectio: Luke 10,38-42
5 Lectio: Luke 11:1-4
6 Lectio: Luke 11,5-13
7 Lectio: Our Lady of the Rosary - Lk 1,26-38
8 Lectio: Luke 11,27-28


 9 Lectio: 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
10 Lectio: Luke 11,29-32
11 Lectio: Luke 11,37-41
12 Lectio: Luke 11,42-46
13 Lectio: Luke 11,47-54
14 Lectio: Luke 12,1-7
15 Lectio: Luke 12,8-12


 16 Lectio: 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
17 Lectio: Luke 12,13-21
18 Lectio: St. Luke - Luke 10,1-9
19 Lectio: Luke 12,39-48
20 Lectio: Luke 12,49-53
21 Lectio: Luke 12,54-59
22 Lectio: Luke 13,1-9


 23 Lectio: 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
24 Lectio: Luke 13,10-17
25 Lectio: Luke 13,18-21
26 Lectio: Luke 13,22-30
27 Lectio: Luke 13,31-35
28 Lectio: Saints Simon and Jude, apostles - Luke 6,12-19
29 Lectio: Luke 14,1.7-11


30 Lectio: 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
31 Lectio: Luke 14,12-14

SEPTEMBER 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Lectio: Luke 5,1-11
Friday, September 2, 2011
Lectio: Luke 5,33-39
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Lectio: Luke 6,1-5
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Lectio: 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
Monday, September 5, 2011
Lectio: Luke 6,6-11
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Lectio: Luke 6,12-19
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Lectio: Luke 6,20-26
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Lectio: Birthday of Mary - Mt.1,1-16.18-23
Friday, September 9, 2011
Lectio: Luke 6,39-42
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Lectio: Luke 6,43-49
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Lectio: 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Lectio: Luke 7,1-10
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Lectio: Luke 7,11-17
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Lectio: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross - Jn. 3,13-17
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Lectio: Luke 7,36-50
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Lectio: Our Lady of Sorrows
Friday, September 16, 2011
Lectio: Luke 8,1-3
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Lectio: Luke 8,4-15
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Lectio: 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
Monday, September 19, 2011
Lectio: Luke 8,16-18
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Lectio: Luke 8,19-21
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Lectio: St. Matthew, the Evangelist - Mt 9,9-13
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Lectio: Luke 9,7-9
Friday, September 23, 2011
Lectio: Luke 9,18-22
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Lectio: Luke 9,43b-45
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Lectio: 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)
Monday, September 26, 2011
Lectio: Luke 9,46-50
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Lectio: Luke 9,51-56
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Lectio: Luke 9, 57-62
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Lectio: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels
Friday, September 30, 2011
Lectio: Luke 10,13-16